


For the Homeworld I’ll See Again

by Casey_Wolfe



Series: Keelah se'Lai [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fix-It, Friendship, M/M, ME3 AU, Rare Pairings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-02
Updated: 2015-07-02
Packaged: 2018-04-07 07:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4253934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/pseuds/Casey_Wolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the Reapers at their doorstep, can Shepard and Kal'Reegar even hope for a happy ending?</p>
            </blockquote>





	For the Homeworld I’ll See Again

**Author's Note:**

> I blame my husband for continuing to play ME3 cause now I wanted to know how the boys would have continued their relationship.

“Tali!”  Shepard hugged her, thrilled to see his old friend in one piece.  “I sent messages…”

“I know.”  Tali sounded apologetic.  “We were under a strict no contact order with anyone outside the Fleet.  Not even an Admiral can break that.”

“I see why,” he grumbled, looking back at the other Admirals.  The Quarians had been planning the invasion and hadn’t wanted anyone to know, presumably so they couldn’t have been stopped.  “Kal?”  During his lock-down on Earth he hadn’t been able to contact Kal'Reegar- or anyone else- and then when Earth had been hit and Shepard hadn’t been able to raise him or Tali…

“He’s on Rannoch.”

“ _What_?!”

“Shepard-”

“Once that dreadnought is down we’re going in!”

Tali had no chance to argue as Shepard stormed out of the War Room, intent on gearing up for one hell of a fight.

* * *

The sight on Rannoch was grim.  They came across many dead Quarians along their path to the old base where intel said the survivors were holed up.  Of course there were plenty of Geth to fight through in order to get to them.  They were still hooked up to the Reaper Signal coming from planetside until Legion could locate the source.

Shepard fought with more focus than he had in a long time.  Nothing else seemed to matter.  He barely heard Tali, Garrus, and Kaidan behind him.  Instead he pushed and pushed until the building was in sight.

“Friendlies inbound,” Garrus warned into the radio.  “Hold your fire.”

Quarians up on the roof offered cover fire as they ran for the door that opened for them.  As they slid inside, the heavy door slammed shut, bolted back into place.

“Admiral,” one of the Quarians greeted Tali.  “What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to evacuate,” she responded.  “Where’s your commanding officer?”

“Here Admiral.”  A Quarian trudged through the doorway, freezing when he saw who was with her.  “Shepard?”

“Kal.”  Shepard hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until it all came out in a rush.  He hurried forward, meeting Kal halfway in a crushing embrace.  He wished desperately to kiss him but had to be satisfied with brushing his lips against the side of Kal’s mask, pressing their foreheads together.  “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Kal’s fingers clutched Shepard’s shoulders.  “Keelah am I glad to see you.”

“Are you injured?”

“No,” he assured, “we're all fine.  But we can’t stay here much longer.  We’re running out of ammo and there’s no antibiotics left if we were to get hit.”

Shepard frowned.  “We’ll get everyone out,” he promised before hailing Cortez.  “Steve, if we suppress can you put the shuttle on the roof?”

“You’ll have to do some heavy suppression Commander, but, yeah, I can do it.”

“Alright,” Shepard ordered, “everyone to the roof.  Put as much fire down onto the Geth as you can.  As soon as the shuttle arrives, egress in pairs.  First group on the shuttle stays at the doors to help provide cover as the rest board.”

Kal nodded, smiling behind his mask- he couldn’t describe how glad he was to have his lover back.  “You heard the Commander.  Move!”

* * *

“Damnit Kal,” Shepard breathed, frustrated rather than angry.  He held Kal’s face in his hands, the Quarian having ignored Shepard’s suggestion that he should keep his mask on.  Kal really should have had antibiotics and other medication already in his system for him to be doing this but the Quarian had refused to see reason, removing his mask and kissing Shepard passionately.

“John,” he replied with a smile, “a cold is the least of my worries right now.”  He wrapped his arms around Shepard’s waist, pulling him closer.  “I missed you so much.  Been worried about you.”

“Me too,” Shepard assured softly.  “Me too.”  He leaned in, pressing their lips together again. “Welcome home, Kal'Reegar vas Normandy.” Kal mirrored his sly smile.

Their time forced apart had been hard.  With their future being so uncertain, all they cared about right then was reconnecting.  They would steal as much time as they could.

* * *

The battle for the homeworld was over.  Before meeting Shepard, before Legion, Kal would have never thought there could be peace between the Quarians and Geth.  Yet there they were.

Kal sat on the ground, gazing out at Rannoch’s landscape.  He smiled as Shepard joined him.  “Picking out property already?” his Human mused.

Kal chuckled, the sound distorted through his mask- at least they wouldn’t need the suits for much longer.  “I’m thinking this isn’t a bad view,” Kal answered, creating a picture frame with his hands and holding them out.  “Yeah.  The living room window can be right here.”

Shepard smiled, laying his head on Kal’s shoulder.  “Sounds perfect to me.”

Wrapping his arm around Shepard, Kal asked, “Would you really want to live here?  What about Earth?”

“I was a spacer kid, remember?  Never had a home that wasn’t a starship.”

Kal hummed in acknowledgment.  It was true that they had that in common.  They had both been born and raised among the stars.  Living on solid ground, well, that would be an adjustment for them both.

“Have it done when I get back?” Shepard asked, tilting his face up to look at him.

“I think you already know I’m not staying,” Kal scolded gently.

Shepard pinched his lips together, giving a slight nod before looking back out at the scenery.  “I wasn’t going to ask.”

“Why not?”  Before the Human could answer, Kal informed, “We’re in this together Shepard.”

They had no idea if they could beat the Reapers, or if they would survive, but neither wanted to waste what very well could have been their last days alive together.

* * *

“SHEPARD!”  The comm had gone dead and no one aboard the _Normandy_ had any idea what was going on.  It wasn’t until the Crucible started to glow that they realized Shepard had succeeded in activating it.

Now it was over, the Reapers dropping from the sky, and Joker had brought the Normandy in next to the damaged Crucible.  It was barely holding together but already there were other crews going over in an attempt to find Shepard, Anderson, and anyone else that may still be alive.

“Shepard!” Kal called out, frustrated his suit mask didn’t allow his voice to carry as far as the others with him.  Garrus yelled out, Liara following suit.  Tali, Kaidan, and James had gone a different route.  They were all hoping for the same outcome but thus far they hadn’t found any trace of the Commander.

“We’ve found someone!” a soldier called from a pile of burning wreckage.  “Here!  Over here!”

They rushed the scene, soldiers already working to get to the person.  “Who is it?!” Kal demanded.

“Can’t tell,” a Marine answered.  “Just see a body.”  Garrus and he grabbed some of the debris to help clear it back, Liara using her biotics to raise a heavy section and tossing it as though it were nothing.

“Shepard!” Kal gasped out, seeing the distinctive N7 armor.  He wiggled his way under a low-hanging beam, falling on his knees beside his partner.  “John!  Wake up!  Come on!”

Liara was beside him, her omnitool scanning Shepard’s still form.  “His vitals are weak,” she announced, “but he’s alive.”

Kal nodded, dread filled the pit of his stomach.  Still, he held on to the shred of hope that he would hold onto Shepard again.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

“You’re not supposed to be exerting yourself yet,” Kal reminded.

Shepard turned to look at him, smile bright on his face.  He had been caught red-handed wrestling with some of the Rannoch Marines.  “Just keeping in shape.”

“Mmhmm, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing wrong with your shape.”  He curled a finger for Shepard to come to him, which he did without protest.  “I leave you alone-”

His scolding was cut off by a warm kiss.  “I’m _fine_ Kal,” he assured his bonded.

Kal’s lips twisted up in a hinted smile but he quickly schooled his features.  “You may be mostly recovered, and those implants may be making you heal faster than a normal Human, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore doctor’s orders.”  He jabbed Shepard’s chest.  “I’m not getting yelled at by Dr. Chakwas and Liara again.”

Chakwas had lead the team that had put Shepard back together again when they had found him after the Battle for Earth.  Miranda had even made an appearance, helping things along considerably.  Since being cleared to return to Rannoch however, it was Liara that was keeping an eye on things- the excuse being that she wanted to study the Quarians as they rebuilt while continuing work on her documentation of the Reaper Wars.

“I promise I’m being careful _Saera_ ,” Shepard soothed, using the Quarian term of endearment for one’s lifemate.

Kal’s features softened instantly, sighing softly as he leaned into Shepard.  “I know.  But I worry.”  His fingers dug in as they curled around Shepard’s arm.  “I almost lost you once.”  Green eyes the color of Rannoch foliage met Shepard’s deep sea blue.  “I love you John.”

“I love you too _Saera_ ,” Shepard whispered against his lips.  “Keelah se’lai.”

/End

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/).


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